as in criminal
not restrained by or under the control of legal authority
some sociologists specialize in studying the lawbreaking elements of society
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in crime
a breaking of a moral or legal code
even something as simple as littering is considered an example of lawbreaking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in criminality
activities that are in violation of the laws of the state
an outbreak of lawbreaking plagued the city in the months following the end of the war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lawbreaking
Adjective
-
Attorney General Pam Bondi fired an additional nine DOJ staffers who worked on criminal cases against President Trump last week.—
Maria Gracia Santillana Linares,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025 -
This is not the first time Songz has come under criminal investigation for assault.—
Rachel Scharf,
Billboard,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
And my perfect ,wild ,fearless, loving partners in crime Colin, Cristin and Rhenzy made anything possible every day.—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
15 July 2025
-
Ramirez-Verduzco's case illuminates the risk some crime victims face when interacting with local law enforcement due to current federal immigration enforcement practices.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
The heavy stacks of cash fit into a pattern emerging throughout the trial as prosecutors attempt to paint Combs as a man spoiled by success, able to hide a tendency for abuse and criminality through a large staff and an ever-larger fortune.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
4 June 2025
-
Advertisement Now, the three branches of government are under Republican control, enabled and empowered by a fact-free MAGA narrative in which the rhetoric around immigration is synonymous with violent criminality.—
Jose Antonio Vargas,
Time,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
The chancellor is caught between febrile bond markets worried about government debt levels across advanced economies and rebellious Labour lawmakers who recently forced the government to pull back on reforms to welfare spending.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
22 July 2025
-
Once Audrey Hepburn was seen in a pair of the prototypical capri pants, everyone wanted to own them, and de Lennart’s hero product was later donned by the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor: appreciated for its originally rebellious intentions and modern-woman appeal.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
Official fireworks shows took place over the city, and illegal pyrotechnics lit up the sky everywhere in between.—
Lisa Beebe,
Los Angeles Magazine,
5 July 2017
-
Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.—
James Bruggers,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2017
Noun
-
The flimsy pretense for the raid was that some NABU officers had been involved in traffic accidents and violations.—
Steve Cortes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
-
When an agent malfunctions in a production environment, the potential consequences include operational disruptions, security breaches, compliance violations and reputational damage.—
Olga Megorskaya,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
In Sarasota, Hoffman told reporters an illicit casino in his jurisdiction also refused to pay a woman who reportedly won a $4,000 jackpot.—
Josh Salman,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
-
And the same evidence that linked children to biological relatives could spur a criminal case against their adoptive parents, some of whom had ties to the military and its illicit actions.—
Julia M. Klein,
The Atlantic,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
Plated with vegan sour cream or traditional Icelandic skyr and a pile of pickled veggies, their rotating flavors include options like daal, chile sin carne and smoked tofu (3,200 ISK for 10).—
New York Times,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
-
Promoting something that God defines as sin is in itself sin.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
18 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Lawbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lawbreaking. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.
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